‘50 New Year’s Eves’ rings in the new year with an evening of music, dance and comedy

The Santa Monica Playhouse will stage its New Year’s extravaganza with “50 New Year’s Eves,” an evening of favorite songs, dances, comedy and other acts from five decades of critically-acclaimed playhouse productions Thursday, December 31st.

Performances are scheduled at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the playhouse, 1211 Fourth St., Santa Monica. The show includes complimentary buffet dinner, champagne, favors, hats and New Year’s surprises.

The late show at 9:30 p.m. gives audiences the chance to celebrate the changeover to the new year in the theater with the members of the Santa Monica Playhouse Actors’ Repertory Theatre. The “early-bird” 6:30 p.m. celebration offers everything that the later show does and is a way to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the entire family and get home at a reasonable hour, or kick off an evening of after-theater dining and celebrating, a playhouse spokesperson said.

The musical director is Linn Yahama-Hirschman and the production stage manager is George J. Vennes III. Costume design is by Ashley Hayes, while lighting and sound are by James Cooper.

Tickets are $39.50 for the 6:30 p.m. show and $49.50 for 9:30 p.m., including dinner, champagne, sparkling apple juice, hats, noisemakers, tiaras, leis and streamers. Discounts are available for students, teachers, seniors, the military and groups of ten or more. Special discounts are also available at the 6:30 p.m. performance for children ages 12 and under.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling the playhouse box office at (310) 394-9779 ext. 1.